A digital video recorder (DVR) or personal video recorder (PVR) is a device that records video in a digital format to a disk drive or other medium. The term includes stand-alone set-top boxes and software for personal computers which enables video capture and playback to and from disk. The term also includes televisions with DVR hardware and software built into the television itself.
DVRs have become very popular. One obvious reason for their popularity is the convenience they offer users in “time shifting” programs. Specifically, DVRs allow users to schedule recordings of broadcast programs, which then can be viewed later, at a convenient time for the user.
Another perhaps less obvious reason for the popularity of DVRs is their ability to organize programming choices. Specifically, DVRs use the metadata provided in programs recorded or scheduled for recording to provide informative lists of programs available for viewing. Because the user must select the programs to be recorded, only programs of interest to the user are listed. Furthermore, more advanced DVRs allow the list to be customized according to a user's needs. For example, it may prioritize programs on the list according to those that remain unwatched, and, likewise, deemphasize or even delete those that have already been watched or make suggestions of related shows. Essentially, the DVR functions to list programs of particular interest to a user in a meaningful and helpful way.
More frequently, users are viewing programs online (i.e., over a wide area network such as the Internet). For example, when traveling or in a location where access to cable or satellite television is limited, a user may be forced or prefer to watch programs online using a remote device. As used herein, a “remote device” is any device capable of playing digital content transmitted over a wide area network such as the Internet. Typical remote devices include, for example, personal computers, cell phones, smart phones, PDAs, and TVs interfaced with a set top box suitable for connection to the Internet.
Recently, devices have been developed to transmit the programming from a user's DVR over the Internet to a remote device. One popular device for transmitting DVR content over the Internet is sold by Sling Media of San Mateo, Calif. under the name “SlingBox”. This device connects a TV source to an existing Internet connection. Software on a user's computer or remote device connects to the SlingBox and provides the user interface for viewing the video stream and changing channels. The SlingBox uploads the digital content from the DVR to a server, which then transmits the content to the remote device over the Internet.
Although this approach exploits the benefits of the DVR with respect to both time shifting and organization, the quality of these transmissions is significantly diminished. Specifically, the upstream bandwidth of a user's Internet connection is dependent on many factors, including the type of connection (e.g., cable, DSL, wireless), the Internet service providers specific configuration of the network, and network traffic at any particular time. If sufficient bandwidth is not available, which is often the case, the digital content must be truncated, thus diminishing its quality.
In addition to reduced quality, transmitting programs over the Internet from DVRs raises legal issues. Specifically, although time shifting is regarded as legally acceptable, the legality of transmitting prerecorded programs over the Internet to remote devices remains unresolved. Such online transmissions may be regarded as copyright infringement unless proper rights have been secured.
Therefore, a need exists for users to enjoy online programming while exploiting the organizational advantages of their DVRs without compromising on the quality or legality of the programs being transmitted.